Mao Shimada (JPN) wins the the Junior Women Free Skating title in Calgary, Alberta (CAN) © ISU
Mao Shimada (JPN) leapt to gold in at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships in Calgary, AB (CAN) Thursday.
Mao Shimada (JPN) scores runaway victory
ISU Junior Grand Prix Final Champion Mao Shimada of Japan struck gold with a spectacular performance, and more than 20 points to spare, in her debut at the ISU World Junior Championships. Korea’s Jia Shin repeated as silver medalist in the event, while Ami Nakai of Japan claimed the bronze.
Shimada made it clear that she was only here for the gold from the first second of her program to “Passepied” and “Wild Swans Suite”.
She opened with a triple Axel and the only quadruple toeloop (slightly underrotated), and went on to reel off seven clean triple jumps, including two triple-triple combinations as well as level four spins and footwork.
Shimada set a new personal best of 152.76 points and racked up 224.54 points to win the title – 18 years after her idol Mao Asada (JPN), whom she was named after, won the World Junior title in Canada as well.
“Mao Asada is my namesake and my inspiration,” said Shimada. “It is great to find myself in the same spot. This medal is full of emotions: I felt a lot of happiness after landing the triple Axel and quad toe, but I told myself there was a lot of difficulties still to come in the program and I had to concentrate.
“There were many competitions where I couldn’t land these jumps in the past and that scared me,” the 14-year-old said. “But it was never an option for me not to do it.”
Korea’s 2022 ISU World Junior silver medalist Jia Shin shone in her program “Tree of Life”, nailing a triple Lutz-triple toe as well as five more triple jumps.
Jia Shin (KOR) takes silver at the Junior Women Free Skating © ISU
The ISU Junior Grand Prix Final silver medalist picked up a level four for her spins and steps, but she slipped at the end of her program and fell. Shin scored 130.71 points for a total of 201.90 points.
“I’m happy to win another medal at Junior Worlds,” Shin said. “I had a bit of a rough time at the beginning of the week because I felt a bit sick, but winning the medal here is a great highlight.”
Nakai went for a triple Axel in her program to “Miss Saigon Rhapsody”, but missed. Unfazed, she went on to complete seven triple jumps and difficult spins and footwork to score 130.12 points. She totaled 197.40 points to take the bronze in her Junior World debut.
Ami Nakai of Japan claims bronze at the Junior Women Free Skating © ISU
“It was my goal to get on the podium here and I am very happy I made it,” Nakai said. “I practiced in training how I would change my program, in case I fall on my triple Axel, so I was prepared for that,” she added.
Yujae Kim (KOR) delivered an excellent performance that included a triple Axel to come fourth at 193.62 points. Minsol Kwon (KOR) pulled up from sixth to fifth at 191.06 points followed by Xiangyi An (CHN) in sixth on 183.94 points.
Skaters/Couples need to have obtained a minimum total technical score in Short Program and Free Skating in order to compete at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships.
Following the IOC recommendation and in order to protect the integrity of ice skating competitions and for the safety of all the participants of international ice skating competitions, the ISU Council based on Article 17.1.q)i) of the ISU Constitution, agreed that with immediate effect and until further notice, no Skaters belonging to the ISU Members in Russia (Russian Skating Union and the Figure Skating Federation of Russia) and Belarus (Skating Union of Belarus) shall be invited or allowed to participate in International ice skating competitions including ISU Championships and other ISU Events. The same applies to Officials listed in the respective ISU Communications and/or Regulations under Russia and Belarus (see ISU Communication 2469).
Schedule of the event
The schedule of the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships is as follows:
Wednesday, March 1: Junior Pairs & Junior Women’s Short Programs
Thursday, March 2: Junior Men’s Short Program, Junior Pairs Free Skating
Friday, March 3: Junior Rhythm Dance & Junior Women’s Free Skating
Saturday, March 4: Junior Free Dance & Junior Men’s Free Skating
Sunday, March 5: Exhibition Gala
For full entries and results, please see the ISU event page and the official website. Follow the discussion on social media using #WorldJFigure and #FigureSkating.
Where to watch the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships 2023:
The ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships will be live streamed on the Skating ISU YouTube Channel. Geo-restrictions will apply in markets where TV rights are in place. You will find the full list in the Where to Watch news here.
Subscribe to the Skating ISU YouTube Channel to receive alerts when the live streams start and when new videos are posted.
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